


Barradin:  The Game Changer

by lordhadrian



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones, Star Wars Legends - All Media Types, Star Wars Prequel Trilogy, Star Wars: The Clone Wars (2008) - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe - Star Wars Setting, Changelings, F/M, Gen, Jedi, Jedi Training, One True Pairing, Post-Star Wars: Attack of the Clones, Romance, Sith, Sith Shenanigans, Star Wars References, True Love
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-03-11
Updated: 2016-03-11
Packaged: 2018-05-26 02:15:27
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,063
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6219673
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lordhadrian/pseuds/lordhadrian
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A One shot adventure with Barriss and Conradin, and the nefarious adversary Ablok Seveten.</p><p>Dooku must plot to separate Conradin from Barriss, and hatches a scheme using perverted science and the Force to give Ablok extraordinary powers.  Powers of a Jedi.  It is a scheme that has its own consequences when Ablok takes his new powers and tries to mold himself into a God.</p><p>Can Barriss and Conradin overcome this Mercenary who intends to destroy them both?</p>
            </blockquote>





	Barradin:  The Game Changer

Barradin: The Game Changer

 

Another crisis averted in war. Ironically, a world had been saved by two enemies sworn to uphold the values of their cause.

One was a Jedi, true of heart, fast in skill. The other was a Separatist, devoted to justice and his Master. Maybe they would have been destined to fight to the death had circumstances not made them join together to save billions of lives.

Conradin Hadranus had finished sealing off the doomsday device. It was an egg shaped metal container of an ancient, eldritch design. As big as a tank, it had stood in the drifts of snow in the polar ice caps of Hesperus XII. It was codenamed "Yig", named after the God of Hell. The Yig was rendered harmless today, thanks to the fast thinking of Conradin and the Jedi known as Barriss Offee.

They were assigned to the Planet to win for their respective sides. To capture military objectives. Fate intended for them to fight the war, but the Will of the Force intervened with a cause that would unite them again, albeit briefly, to save a world and its people from a greater threat.

For a moment, as the Yig device was shut down forever, Conradin looked at Barriss and smiled. True love could almost win. She blushed and smiled as the snow fell around them.

"You did it!" Conradin sighed with relief. "The Yig device would have melted the entire polar cap and flooded the world......millions would have perished...."

"It was your skill with a light saber that helped me defeat the Azure Guardian. Thank you..."

They almost had a moment together, ready to embrace.

But The Yig device was a divine contraption built by evil Gods thousands of years before. It was meant to fulfill an apocalyptic prophecy that would have destroyed Hesperus XII. But with the intervention of two unlikely friends, that Prophecy had been nullified, and defying ancient prophecies did not come without consequences. The ground shook and quaked. The snowy terrain split underneath the Yig device and opened a cavernous mout across the polar ice cap. The Yig device was swallowed up into its bottomless hell of ice and rock, and the polar region would forever be split into two massive halves.

Conradin and Barriss, in their moment of triumph to save the world, had underestimated the rage of the dead Gods themselves, and became separated by a vengeful chasm nearly half a mile wide.

It was also the bad timing of the arrival of reinforcements of both sides as well. The droids rescued Conradin, while Commander Galle and his Clone Troops helped the reluctant Barriss to a shuttle. The war still raged.

Conradin shouted for her, trying to re-establish contact. But she had been escorted away by the Clones.

"Sir, the Republic troops are bringing up reinforcements!" VGR-001 reported. VGR was Conradin's faithful droid commander, and an old friend. The General sighed and nodded. Destiny had driven a wedge between him and Barriss again. He boarded a shuttle back to his ship. He tried to reach out to her in the Force.

And Barriss also tried to reach him. They sat, alone as their forces regrouped and attempted a connection. Conradin put all his heart into reaching for her, just to feel her presence again.

Barriss was calm and concentrated with some effort. If she could just reach his heart and touch him, help bring him back to her side. maybe she could get him to defect, save him from the darkness that controlled the Separatist cause.

But both of them hit a wall. They were so close, could almost feel each other, but there was a thin, filmy obstruction that prevented them from intertwining.

"Barriss!" he almost wanted to cry out, to sense her mercy and gentleness. Barriss concentrated harder, but she was not powerful enough to communicate with him. Darkness separated them. A Dark power stopped them from further comfort.

Count Dooku shrugged off their efforts as his command ship entered the system. The system would be in contention for a while, and the battle for Hesperus would be a stalemate. But Dooku was not concerned about the battle for Hesperus. Its strategic value was middling at best, its people expendable in the Count's eyes.

He focused on keeping Conradin from falling into the Light. It was Conradin's emotional connections that concerned him greatly. He was to be Dooku's Chosen One of Prophecy, the Jedi who would defeat the Order and establish the Separatist power over the Republic. Dooku chafed as he used his power to block Conradin and arriss. Such foolish puppy love when there was greater ambition to be had. Dooku's efforts to block the two took as much straining effort as their attempt to reach past his wall. After Barriss and Conradin retreated from the Force in exhaustion, Dooku was able to also pull away. He felt the power of their feelings, and saw it as a danger to his own agenda. He decided he would no longer brook this childish endeavor.

He nonchalantly took a deep breath and contacted the Emerald General as their fleets met up to bolster defenses.

"Master" Conradin bowed in the image. Dooku could sense his mental exhaustion.

"Apprentice, I know of your failure! Yet again I am forced to to respond to your request for assistance!"

Conradin was caught off guard "Master....I...I made no request-"

"-Your actions demanded it! Or rather, your LACK of action! Why I tolerate this weakness within you.....Your duty is to serve my purposes, yet you falter because of these persistent emotions. I have a new assignment for you."

Conradin was cowed into silence. He just bowed rather than reply. They had discussed this on several occasions, and argued on more. Conradin awaited Dooku's punishing command.

"You will not leave your shuttle. You are to change course after you have resupplied on board your command ship. Take the shuttle and Rendez-vous with Battle fleet Argente in the Ryloth system. Passel's ships are monitoring rebellious activities there, and I want you to join him until I give further orders!"

"What about MY fleet!? Why should I-"

"-NEVER AGAIN!" Dooku put his fist down. Dooku's outburst put Conradin on the defensive again. Such questioning of orders could not be tolerated. If Dooku had not fervently believed in Conradin's prophesied destiny, he would no doubt have cast the troublesome boy into exile in the outer rim, or executed him for his continued attention to HER.

"Yes, Master." Conradin sighed. Dooku coldly ended communication and went to his observation deck. He waited and watched Conradin's flagship. He watched the shuttle exit and make the jump to Ryloth. Convinced that he could no longer sense his apprentice, he put his covert plan into action.

"Bring in Dr Vindi and the Mercenary" he called out over his communication. Two men walked in to be briefed on Dooku's plot. One was the notorious Nuvo Vindi, who worked in biological warfare. The other was a young but hardened Mercenary with Mandolorian armor.

"Dr Vindi" Dooku waved to the Mercenary "Our subject has graciously allowed us to conduct this new experiment. If it is successful, we may yet save the Confederacy a great loss. My Apprentice must be removed from a certain distraction, and this new technique you have developed may be the answer."

"But of course, Master Dooku!" Vindi groveled and laughed. He opened up his medical container to reveal an ominous syringe with a special red liquid.

Dooku turned to the merc "Ablok Seveten....I am in need of your services in a most unusual endeavor. The Good doctor here will inject you with a formula that will give you the power of a changeling. I will give you a form to take, and then you must use this masquerade for extreme mischief!"

"I am always up for some mischief, sir!" Ablok smiled.

"Then here is what you must do. I need you to use the changeling formula to transform your appearance. You must take the shape of my apprentice, General Hadranus. You will go to Hesperus and lure the Jedi into a trap. Be without pity, be merciless! I want the reputation of Conradin Hadranus to be spoiled with terror and ruthlessness! Then, they will think twice about any more of this shameful cooperation."

"How will I be able to impersonate Conradin Hadranus?" Ablok inquired "He has skills in the mystical ways of the Jedi. I do not possess such abilities"

Dr Vindi chuckled as he administered the serum. Ablok started to feel his skin change. He held his stomach with a sickly pallor for a few moments, but then found he could change form at will, becoming different people. He transformed into Conradin Hadranus and smiled

"I could get used to this!" He laughed a little.

"You shall be paid well. And as for Jedi abilities....Dr Vindi will give you....mine!"

Dr Vindi grinned "I have acquired, with Master Dooku's complete cooperation, a serum of his own midichlorians to be fused with your blood! I have made a few....biological adjustments, and you will have the ability to connect with the powers of the Force and conduct yourself in every respect....like a Jedi!"

"Or a Sith!" Dooku added.

Vindi injected Ablok with the midichlorians. Ablok spent a few moments writhing as his body adjusted painfully to the new genetic interference in him. Then, he stopped. He transformed into Conradin Hadranus again and levitated some objects.

"Take this" Dooku opened an ornate gift box, revealing a light saber that looked exactly like the one used by Conradin.

"Go now, and manage mischief! You are the Devil now! It is time to do the Devil's work!" Dooku commanded with wide eyed ferocity.

Ablok bowed and left. He felt power coursing through him, and he laughed as he walked through the dark halls of the Separatist cruiser to his ship. He laughed. And he plotted a great many things.

 

It was not long before Ablok put his deception to great and horrifying affect, by going to the world being contested. The Planet, saved by Conradin and Barriss in a previous adventure, was now terrorized by Ablok. He led the droids to conquer every small town and colony within reach. His exploits as Conradin did not go unnoticed by the Republic.

 

Barriss Offee was meditating when the Council called her. Master Windu appeared with a grave expression.

"It seems the Emerald General has finally found his path. We are getting reports from the planet that he is committing atrocities and daring the republic to retaliate!"

Barriss looked at him, confused "That cannot be. I have not sensed his presence. The Force has not allowed me to make any connection to Dooku's apprentice. I do not understand..."

"Our efforts to bring him to the light have failed" Windu started showing footage of the man leading the droids, destroying buildings and cutting down clone troopers.

Barriss registered a moment of horror. "How is this even possible? He can't be on the planet! I would have sensed him...."

"It is as we have feared" Windu contemplates "Our Jedi powers are being diminished. Barriss Offee, you must be tasked now to stop General Hadranus before he starts slaughtering innocent civilians. You must do what must be done"

"But he would not do this!! There has to be a reason!"

"I am sorry, but it was not his destiny to be saved by the Jedi" Mace concludes the matter and ends the transmission. Barriss started looking over reports and more footage of the battles. She had been held in reserve, but now she could no longer sit back and let the front line troops engage with the enemy. Her senses told her something was wrong, that she felt such an alien presence when she watched Conradin. Duty was duty, and she had to stop the droid offensive. She met with Commander Galle and prepared to launch the counter offensive.

 

Conradin sat in the ready room of Passel Argente's command ship. He was alone, without his fleet, without his soldiers. With Dooku's harsh comments weighing him down. He has seen Dooku at his worst. How he has not yet been severely punished is a testament to Dooku needing him to win the war. Despite the power and Jedi skills and military might at his disposal, he wished it would all go away.

But there was another Dark power that wished to use Conradin, one with a heavier burden.

"Why so defeated....my son?" A shadowy voice dribbled kind words to the young man. Conradin tensed up as he sensed Darth Plagueis.

"What do you want!?"

"I come to be your ally, nothing more. Count Dooku wastes your talents while puny goons like Senator Argente watch over you like a babysitter!"

"Begone!" Conradin stood up and looked around "You are a demon! Unwanted, and unneeded. I have told you before I wish to have no part in your Sith schemes!"

"But you would partake in Dooku's Sith schemes? How very hypocritical!" Plagueis almost chuckled at Conradin's misguided idealism.

Conradin wanted to lash out, but Plagueis' power allowed him to be near ethereally, rather than physically. Plagueis was connected to Conradin, whether he accepted it or not. Most of the time, Conradin actively weakened the connection in order to be free of the Sith destiny Plagueis desired for him. He had hoped Dooku's training would help, but Dooku's path led to yet another Sith destiny, and Conradin felt trapped from every direction.

Except for one small beacon of light. One path to the light. His last chance at redemption lay with the Jedi. One Jedi in particular who believed he could be saved.

"She will die, unless you listen to me." Plagueis taunted.

Conradin was becoming flustered and enraged "Leave me alone! Leave HER alone!!"

"I am simply the ally. Your faith in Dooku is misplaced! He intends to ruin you, lead you to darkness. Already, he plots to destroy your good name and lead the Jedi into a trap on Hesperus! She will die."

"You lie!! YOU'RE LYING!!" Conradin turned on all the lights in the room in a vain attempt to find Plagueis. But he was never there. The young General concentrates, shutting out the Sith lord who continues to bring temptations and misdirection to him. Frantically, he summons his faithful droid astromech, R5D4.

"R5!" he smiles as the droid rolls into the room. Though he was mentally weary, R5's presence would brighten his day. His anxiety over Plagueis' words got the best of him. He tried to disbelieve, but there was a nagging knot of trouble in the Force.

"I need you to break through Republic communications to Hesperus!"

R5 bleeped loudly with surprise and some disapproval, but Conradin nodded "I know. The signal will be detected by the crew in a matter of minutes, but it will take a moment for them to trace it. We can contact the Republic command-"

R5 warned him with more beeps and whistles, panicking at the trouble it would cause, and the punishment that could follow.

"Yes, we are about to commit treason.....but I have a very bad feeling. Please, R5. I will tell them I forced you to do it if we are caught."

R5 whined reluctantly, and worked to send out a signal. The droid bypassed Republican security to access a communications relay within GAR headquarters. Clone troopers activating the signal, blinked as they saw Conradin before them.

"What do you want!?" One of the officers asked with a rather defiant tone.

"I wish to speak to the commanding Jedi."

"You've got to be joking! We are campaigning right now to end your reign of terror! There is no discussion!"

Barriss Offee entered the room, prepped for combat. She was shocked to see Conradin in the com link.

"Barriss, I need to know what's going on!"

"I think it's rather obvious, General" her shocked tone was defensive "I mean to hunt you down for the deaths of all the villagers at the Lake of Hali. I mean to hunt you and bring you to justice!"

"What are you talking about!? I'm not on Hesperus!"

The signal was breaking up, and Barriss looked at him, confused. "I sensed an emptiness when I witnessed video footage of you slaughtering innocent people, attacking my troops! What changed you? ANSWER ME!"

Barriss' image fizzled out a few times as if something was blocking the feed. Conradin shook his head, trying to make sense of her accusations "I haven't done anything! Why do you think-"

"Conradin! Surrender, before it's too late!" she demanded. Conradin saw the link distorted by another signal. He saw what looked to be himself. Conradin was witnessing Conradin, and the other man was now talking to Barriss.

"Jedi Knight Offee! I am about to assault your base. You've been surrounded and your supplies are dwindling. You will surrender to me or I will kill the hostages!!"

Conradin watched, horrified. Then the alarm went off. His signal had been detected. "R5! We have to get to the hanger before they know it was us!" They ran out of the room, passed Passel Argente.

"Where are you going, General?" the Separatist Senator looked at Hadranus in surprise. Conradin had no time to talk, and kept running.

"Commander Argente! The signal was coming from the briefing room!" A droid reported. Passel looked at Conradin in shock as he ran down the hall. He shook his head. Conradin would probably be executed once the other CIS council members discover his communication with the Republic.

He didn't care. He just realized this imposter was wreaking havoc on Hesperus. And was about to wipe out the fragile goodwill he had he had tried to build. He was about to fight a terrible fight.

 

Ablok smiled as one of the Clone prisoners had been brought before him. In the short time that he had gained the midichlorians in his system, he practiced, and accomplished amazing feats with the powers Dooku and Vindi had given him.

"If God were a man.....he'd be me!" Ablok Seveten had become so enveloped by his own greatness, he started to elevate himself more than even a Jedi would have dared to do.

He levitated the Clone and dropped him hard on the ground. "You see that you are no match for me! I have been given a gift from the Force itself, and I am destined for great things. Get up on your knees and worship me!"

The Clone trooper, even on the worst day, was not impressed "Get stuffed, seppie!"

"Hmph!" Ablok smirked "A God must always prove himself....to skeptics!" He swung his fancy new light sabers and cut down the trooper in cold blood. What he did next was sadly even more appalling. He demanded the trooper rise up from the dead.

"I COMMAND YOU TO RISE!!!" Ablok called out. But the body did not move. Even the Force could not grant such a power, and certainly not to a childish braggart like Ablok Seveten. "RISE, you fool! I command it!"

But the body lay there. Ablok was starting to realize his limitations. And his troops were noticing more and more that he was not the Conradin Hadranus they had worked with for many months. But droids were dedicated, and none of the were about to bring the matter up. Even VGR was not sure how to proceed, since he could not calculate what he was witnessing. He dared not think of it as madness.

Barriss Offee called out to the Jedi. "Conradin....I am here." she moved forward from the base' defenses.

"Ahhhh, the Jedi finally emerge from their cowardly hiding place. And such a lovely looking Jedi!" Ablok poured on the contempt, which confused Barriss. Ablok was meeting her for the first time, and Barriss was sensing such an alien presence, a dissonance in his psyche that alarmed her greatly.

She kept her face calm as she approached "We are not here to be pleasant. I want the prisoners released. Whoever you are or think you may be, I will not let you terrorize this world!!"

She lit up her saber in a pose. Ablok, having studied a little bit about Conradin, lit up his as well as he tried to pose in the manner Hadranus would.

"I do not understand what has happened to you, General Hadranus.....but I assure you I will end it!" Barriss vowed.

"You will try" Ablok smiled, enjoying not only his new Jedi powers, but this little deception Dooku has hired him to carry out.

Without further words, Barriss charged him, and Ablok dueled her on the plains near the lake of Hali.

They fought furiously. Ablok was exceptionally skilled in hand to hand combat, and working with a light saber was easy.

Barriss held him off, blow for blow, but she sensed something was completely off about "Conradin". He was not using his usual techniques.

Ablok watched her as she fought him. He liked her form. And he could tell she was fiercely proud. She would be quite a prize, if he could conquer her on the battlefield of his choosing.

Maybe he could defeat her on this one first.

"You are a worthy opponent, Jedi." Ablok took a breath as they paused in the fighting "What is your name?"

"We are not here for social civility. And if you do not know MY name, then I am at a disadvantage since I do not know yours at all!" Barriss did not completely understand this opponent. He was Conradin, yet not him.

They fought on, but she held her own. She could see he was getting impatient with fighting her, and she started to use his aggravated energy against him with little taunts and attack moves.

"I always thought the great General Hadranus was so skilled with a light saber, but you seem to be getting rusty!" she almost smiled.

"I will beat you!" Ablok growled "Then I will show the people of Hesperus what a true conqueror looks like!" He started to attack wildly. He was unrefined, but she was taken aback by his strength, his raw power in handling the saber and the Force. He shot out his hand and threw her against a tree, pinning her there with tremendous pressure. He calmly walked up to her.

"Such a lovely creature, it would be a pity to destroy you. I could make you into so much more...."

"I don't need so much more, so go soak your head in a cold shower!" she spit back, unable to move.

Ablok got uncomfortably close, reveling in his power "I have become a God now, and you will dance for me!"

But Ablok was in for a rude surprise when Conradin's ship smashed into the atmosphere at breakneck speed to reach the Lakeside of Hali.

Bariss looked up as well and gasped. The connection she had lost when they were separated had been re-established. She could feel Conradin's presence again. She almost cried out in relief, but kept her stoic pose as Ablok released her from the tree.

"So, the prodigal son returns!" Ablok sighed, and prepared to fight him as well.

Conradin made a rough landing, jumping out of his fighter even before R5 could settle in the zone.

"Conrad.....it's you!" Barriss looked at them both in disbelief. The droids and clones also took a step back at the phenomenon. Two Conradins, but one was maniacal, the other looked at Barriss, terrified.

"You hurt?" Conradin asked. Barriss shrugged off her injuries. She felt bolder seeing him, and feeling his presence. He completed her.

Conradin and Ablok stared each other down, and sized each other up.

"So...how do you like being me?" Conradin asked with a snark in his voice

Ablok smiled "I'm a better design. An upgrade, you might say!"

Conradin shook his head as they clashed sabers "All you've done is made victory for peace harder than ever on Hesperus....."

Conradin surprised him with a swift punch in the face as they flurried and deflected each others blows. "Oh yeah, and you tried to hurt a good person, someone I care about. I hope that hurt. A lot!" Conradin pushed back.

Ablok simply laughed and wiped some blood from his mouth "Who IS the little one? A pet, perhaps? Will she require my 'special attention?" Ablok laughed as Barriss sneered at his amoral overtures. Conradin also had a scowl for a moment, letting down his guard. Ablok knew that the Jedi girl was his weakness. This time, Ablok punched back several times, almost knocking Conradin to the ground. Ablok was younger and faster, and he learned to use brutal strength with his saber.

Conradin, despite his skills, was beaten and wore down. He fell to his knees, dazed from Ablok's quick reflexes. The droids stood by, stunned at his fighting prowess against their Master.

"And now you see that I am truly the Emerald General needed to win this war! And the Jedi will bow to me...." Ablok smiled as he casually walked over to Conradin. It was a deathblow he was about to conjure against Conradin, something Dooku certainly did not equate in this mad scheme.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H-OE-PaWMLA

"Get up" Barriss called to him. Conradin looked up at her as she stood by him "We can take him. Together." She remained stoic, but he saw the fire in her eyes. He would not abandon her, and she would not abandon him. That was the ultimate secret to victory. Ablok was alone in his quest for power. Conradin stood with Barriss, and they felt the tremor of the Force in their hearts. Their connection was the key to defeating the man who would be a God.

Conradin and Barriss fought back, and became one with the Force as Ablok was pushed back.

Ablok growled and tried to attack them both with a flurry of saber strikes, but Barriss and Conradin had doubled their strength together, and gave one final push with the Force, smashing Ablok into a tree, knocking him out.

It was a site for the two armies to see. The two of them sighed and relaxed. Barriss felt the harmony of them together, the harmony she felt when they defeated the Yig device. Conradin could sense her harmony as well, and he was at peace when she smiled at him.

"It's good to see you" He smiled back as they stared at each other "I felt....terror seeing you fight this man...."

"I could not have won without you" She whispered.

They both witnessed Ablok's transformation. His power to concentrate on Conradin's form was gone, and he now appeared with the Changeling features.

"I didn't know changelings could use the Force" Conradin watched, amazed.

"He is a dangerous man, and must be brought back to Coruscant." Barriss concluded.

"Question is....who is he, and why is he impersonating me?" Conradin looked at her, concerned. Barriss' eyes comforted him, knowing that this man was a fake, that she knew Conradin's true heart, that he would never become a tyrant.

Their thoughts were interrupted as Dooku's fleet attacked from up above. Fate intervened to attempt to separate them once more.

The Force is a funny thing though. When the right people observe it long enough, they grow in their wisdom, they grow to understand it more and more.

Dooku, in a grand attempt to cover up his horrifying scheme to use Ablok, tried to destroy the evidence and take back Conradin. He would attack, in an attempt to cause the Republic to drag away Barriss in retreat again.

But Barriss was, if nothing else, full of observation, and she had grown in wisdom every time the Force intervened. Dooku's attack was fierce, but she grabbed Conradin's hand and forced him to run with her.

"Conrad!!" she shouted.

"Barriss?" He looked at her, almost stumbling as they ran together.

The Republic did retreat again, but this time Barriss defied destiny with insurmountable energy and will. She never let go of Conradin's hand as they retreated to their base and evacuated on shuttles to regroup with the fleet.

Dooku would win the planet, but lost his prize. He was also stuck with the embarrassment of needing to explain Ablok's presence. Ablok was dragged away to a shuttle by the droids. He was also furious at Ablok's arrogance to destroy Conradin. Dooku would humble the mercenary in extreme ways when the time came.

Dooku reported a communication to the droids. "Take the imposter and transport him away from the fleet. Sedate him! I do not want him awake or speaking in any way until I have.....dealt with him...." Dooku made sure the droids acknowledged his commands. Then he seared the console with his own light saber in a rage. All his schemes and plans, ruined again and time again by a foolish Jedi girl and a foolish boy who desired her happiness over his own. His prized warrior would sacrifice all the Empires of the galaxy for the heart of one that Dooku felt was insignificant. Dooku was blind to a greater power than his own.

Barriss did not let go of Conradin until the shuttle was in the air, and she was confident that she had fully defied destiny once and for all.

"Barriss!" Conradin gasped for air after the running. But his heart nearly burst.

She did not speak, and kept her stoic face. They were surrounded by Clone troops, who silently guarded them both out of loyalty and uncertainty. She had just defeated Conradin, yet saved him as well. They did not fully understand, and none of them felt the quake erupting in the Force as Conradin and Barriss stared at each other in relief. It was fire and ice, love and desire in silence and fog. Conradin wanted to desperately smash up against her after so much adversity, and she wanted to break down the walls between them and unleash that same fire. they stood quietly, but loved ferociously with just their eyes and wild hearts.

He walked over and calmly took her hand without saying a word, accepting his fate in the hands of the Republic. Come what may.


End file.
